(1) Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to means and methods of testing magnitudes of stress and the axis polarization of optical lenses. More particularly, the invention relates to a novel kit and method of simultaneously testing the axis of polarization and levels of stress of an optical lens.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Complex means and methods of separately testing optical lenses for polarization or stress are known in the related art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,580,122 issued on Aug. 25, 2009 to Huang et al discloses a lens inspection device using polarized light beam, phase retardation plate and lookup table of color values. The Huang patent is cumbersome as referring to a lookup table to compare reference colors to observed colors it tiresome and inefficient.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,589 issued on Apr. 7, 1987 to Cestaro et al discloses the use of scattered light, a prism, a TV camera and other expensive equipment to measure stress across a glass sheet. The Cestaro patent fails to provide economical means or methods of testing transparent material for stress. Thus, there is a need in the art for efficient means of checking the axis of polarization and stress of polarized lenses.